From the basement living room of a suburban Gordon Head home comes an animated Christmas movie that has all the spirit to join the annals of HollywoodB次元官网网址檚 most beloved animated holiday classics.
On Sunday, Elliot the Littlest Reindeer opens in about 20 theatres in Canada and about 100 in the U.S., and will be available for streaming by video-on-demand Dec. 4. ItB次元官网网址檚 already on the big screen in European nations Romania, Turkey, Lithuania, Russia (this week), Germany and Austria, and is due to hit theatres next week in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and then in Kenya, Uganda and more.
It has high-end animation, a $16 million budget and serious star power with Josh Hutcherson (Hunger Games) playing Elliott, a miniature horse who wants to be one of SantaB次元官网网址檚 reindeer, and his wise friend Hazel the goat, played by Samantha Bee (Full Frontal). It also stars comedian Jeff Dunham, Moreena Baccarin (seen recently in Deadpool as Vanessa, DeadpoolB次元官网网址檚 girlfriend), Martin Short, John Cleese and other stars.
But the only thing Hollywood about Jennifer Westcott, the creator, writer and director of Elliot the Littlest Reindeer, is her dedication to the craft.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been writing since my son Simon was born 13 years ago,B次元官网网址� said Westcott. B次元官网网址淔or the first five of those years I optioned a bunch of scripts that werenB次元官网网址檛 made into films and finally my sister [Victoria], who owned her own business, said, B次元官网网址榳hy donB次元官网网址檛 we just make one.B次元官网网址� SheB次元官网网址檚 one of those people who just does things, and we crowdfunded it.B次元官网网址�
Naturally, one doesnB次元官网网址檛 just walk into one of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 top animation studios with a script.
First of all, it has to be B次元官网网址渞eally, really good,B次元官网网址� Westcott said. Then, you need to get it noticed.
In the Westcotts case, they entered the film script for Elliot into multiple contests, winning the 2009 Praxis Screenwriting Award and the 2010 Angel Film Award for best family screenplay.
B次元官网网址淗aving the awards really helped,B次元官网网址� Westcott said. B次元官网网址淢y sister attended [mixer events] where producers and screenwriters share their ideas and see what fits.B次元官网网址�
From there itB次元官网网址檚 a cascading effect. Once a producer came on board then came money and connection to a casting director who has relationships with actor agencies.
B次元官网网址淎nd once you get one big-name actor committed, then the others see that name and start to come on,B次元官网网址� Westcott said.
And then one day youB次元官网网址檙e in a Toronto recording studio asking Martin Short to adjust one of his lines.
B次元官网网址淚 did, for most actors I did, but for Martin, maybe just one or two little things.B次元官网网址�
As the writer-director, Westcott did retain control though the producers are also well aware of what sells and what special effects fit the budget.
So far Elliot the Littlest Reindeer has been well-received. The first review Westcott read was also the only negative one sheB次元官网网址檚 seen. It came from England, where the film went straight to DVD.
B次元官网网址淭he first review was quite mean, I was like, B次元官网网址極h my God,B次元官网网址� but after that I read a lot of happy reviews, so itB次元官网网址檚 OK,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she said.
WestcottB次元官网网址檚 biggest fan so far would be her eight-year-old daughter Ellie. The youngster has seen it B次元官网网址楴-times-a-billionB次元官网网址� times and has seen clips since the group started making the movie in 2015.
Westcott canB次元官网网址檛 give Ellie credit for any lines but EllieB次元官网网址檚 certainly shared her approval for a lot of the designs and scenes, mom said. However, Ellie did take exception to one scene, in particular.
To set the stage, Mrs. Claus makes magic cookies that give the reindeer the power to fly. However, cookie consumption is something to be done in moderation. But D.J., a very likeable young reindeer, sneaks extra cookies in an effort to meet the heavy expectations of his father Donner (played by John Cleese). In this case, Donner is the equivalent to an overbearing hockey parent. Ellie really likes D.J. and took exception to D.J. eating the cookies on purpose, Westcott said.
B次元官网网址淪he likes him, heB次元官网网址檚 a great character. So Ellie drew up a story board in which D.J. B次元官网网址榝ell into the cookies by accident,B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址榯hatB次元官网网址檚 how he gets in trouble,B次元官网网址� and I said, B次元官网网址榮orry, thatB次元官网网址檚 not going to work Ellie, heB次元官网网址檚 a cheater.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
So how does a miniature horse come to wish he could be a reindeer in the first place? It started in Texas.
When Westcott initially started writing, she focused on comedies. It was 2007 and the family was living in Texas as her partner, , was teaching at the University of Dallas.
B次元官网网址淲e ended up a miniature horse auction,B次元官网网址� Westcott recalled. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 never seen a miniature horse in my whole life, and IB次元官网网址檇 grown up on a farm in the Ottawa Valley. I thought, B次元官网网址榳hat are these, theyB次元官网网址檙e so weird and bizarre.B次元官网网址� So the idea was always there, it evolved into what could a mini horse never do. Well, he canB次元官网网址檛 pull SantaB次元官网网址檚 sleigh, or fly.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Elliot is WestcottB次元官网网址檚 second feature film. Her first was Locked in a Garage Band (2012), filmed over 10 days in a Mission garage, screened at Raindance and CBGB film festivals and distributed by Double Dutch International.
Elliot the Littlest Reindeer comes is available for preorder at amazon.ca now and will be available to stream on Dec. 4 on Shaw, Bell, Rogers, B次元官网网址tron, Sasktel, Cogeco, iTunes, Sony, Google Play, Microsoft, Cineplex.
